We live in Texas, and our realtor told us we should NEVER purchase a home that has HAD foundation repair.

If that is the case, then wouldn't that make all the homes that have HAD foundation repair â€œunsellable?â€
Seems like a strong statement to make when all the foundation repair commercials guarantee for life the work done, and is transferable to any new home owner. Any thoughts from other agents on whether they would sell a home that has had foundation repair in Texas or not? Thanks.

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That is definitely not true. Before you buy a home like that I would want to see the paperwork for the repairs and know what kind of company did the work along with what type of warranty coverage is included. So although you need to be careful, if you do your homework you can buy with confidence. Just make sure it was a reputable company that stands behind their work.

Texas has expansive clay soils. That means they can shrink and swell with differences in moisture content.

If a homeowner does not do a good watering program that soil can move and cause cracks in the foundation (or buckling).

I am not sure if Texas has expansive clay soils everywhere.

If I was buying a house a foundation with problems would make me reconsider buying that house.

A lifetime repair is only as good as the (now bankrupt) company behind it. If the owner retires, goes out of business, or simply refuses to pay for needed repairs what do you do then? A warranty is only worth the paper it is written on and the word of the person (or business) that wrote it.

I am going to say that is very poor advise. In Texas, most homes have either had foundation problems or they will. That being said, I would much rather purchase a home that has a lifetime transferable warranty on the foundation work than to have to pay for the entire repair on my own. I wouldn't necessarily run from a home with previous foundation issues, but I would want to know a little more about what was done and what the warranty covers.

So, am I to understand that there are areas in Texas where foundations are essentially temporary, and require intermittent rebuilding or reinforcement? And if this is true, and you want to live in those areas, isn't this just something you have to live with?

Johanna.....
It's just one of those things that happens in some parts of North Texas. If all things are the same I would just as soon not buy a house with foundation issues. Some can be repaired, some can't, some people live with the problem, some solve the underlying problem. I guess there is much more to the question than just NEVER as you discuss. The guarantees are all different too. Make sure you get all the documentation from the company and details about warranty transfer during your option period and ensure appropriate fees and documents are available before you close.
There are also varying causes and degrees of problems. What if the differences in tolerances are 10" or 12"...that's a lot of movement. What if what caused that is basically unfixable due to slope or location or type of soil?
What if there is a plumbling leak that can be fixed and the issue is 1". Complete different situations.
NEVER is a strong word.....would you buy the house for $1....for $2....for $3....well there is some number that makes the house a good buy, and perhaps some number that does not make it a good buy. You have to figure out what that number is for yourself and perhaps in consultation with your realtor.

This is why we have an Option Period with a contract. Have a certified structural engineer check out the property. Also have your insurance agent run a CLUE report. See if the property can even be insured.

As the others have said, it is a case-by-case issue. As always, caveat emptor (buyer bewar).

In my non-expert opinion....if the cause of the problem with the foundation (usually a source of water causing the soil to expand in an area of the house) has been resolved, I think the home would then be O.K. to purchase. It may have needed or not needed any foundation repair...just drainage work or a leak stopped. Sometimes the situation cannot be easily remedied, as in the case of a home perched on a hillside that is settling downward through erosion or a home with water running off a hill down towards the house and ponding at the foundation or in a home located over seasonal springs.

It depends on the extent of the foundation repair and what was actually repaired. It also depends on the foundation repair company and what their guarantee actually consists of, how long they've been in business, etc.. I wouldn't necesarrily advise my clients to not purchase a home with foundation repairs, I just always advise that we do our due diligence and that we know what we are getting into.

I would sell a home with foundation repairs as long as there is full disclosure about the repairs, the repairs where done per an engineers report and supervision, there is a warranty, and the buyer understands the proper way to maintain their foundation.